What is crowdlending?
Crowdlending (also known as lending crowdfunding or P2P lending) is a form of investment in which multiple investors lend money directly to borrowers—individuals or businesses—through a digital platform, earning interest in return.
Unlike a bank deposit, there is no deposit insurance or government guarantee. The risk is higher, but so is the potential return. In 2026, the two most established European platforms are Bondora and Mintos.
Bondora Go&Grow: simplicity and liquidity
Bondora is an Estonian company founded in 2009 that offers personal loans in Estonia, Finland, and Spain. Its flagship product for investors is Go&Grow: an automated portfolio that:
- Pays a fixed 6.75% APR (interest is credited daily).
- Allows you to withdraw funds within 1 business day (nearly immediate liquidity).
- Does not require manual loan selection—everything is automated.
- Investment limit: €1,000 in the standard plan; Go&Grow; Unlimited has no limit (slightly lower rate).
See Bondora Go&Grow on APYData →
Risks of Bondora Go&Grow:
- There is no repayment guarantee — if Bondora goes bankrupt, you may lose part of your principal.
- "Almost immediate" liquidity is subject to platform conditions; in stressful situations, Bondora may limit withdrawals (as briefly occurred in 2020 during COVID).
- Borrowers are primarily individuals with low-to-medium credit profiles — high probability of default, which Bondora manages through its risk models.
Mintos Core Portfolio: higher returns, greater complexity
Mintos is Europe’s largest crowdlending platform by volume. Founded in Latvia in 2015, it connects investors with loan originators in over 30 countries. Its most accessible product is Core Portfolio:
- Pays up to 10.5% APR in EUR — significantly higher returns.
- Portfolio automatically diversified across multiple originators.
- Liquidity: secondary market available, but does not guarantee immediate exit at full price.
- Mintos is licensed as an investment firm regulated by the Latvian FCMC (MiFID II applies).
See Mintos Core Portfolio on APYData →
Mintos Risks:
- Originator risk: if a loan originator goes bankrupt, the associated loans may go unpaid.
- Greater complexity: You need to understand which originators are in the portfolio and their ratings.
- Secondary market liquidity may be limited during times of crisis.
- Mintos experienced issues with several originators during 2020–2022 (Monego, Aforti, etc.) — some investors lost money.
Direct comparison
| Feature | Bondora Go&Grow; | Mintos Core Portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| Return | 6.75% fixed APR | Up to 10.5% APR |
| Liquidity | 1 business day | Secondary market |
| Collateral | None | None |
| Complexity | Very low | Medium |
| Regulation | CySEC (Estonia) | FCMC + MiFID II |
| Min. investment | €1 | €10 |
| Years in business | Since 2009 | Since 2015 |
Which one should you choose based on your profile?
Choose Bondora Go&Grow if:
- You want an alternative to a savings account that offers higher returns without the hassle.
- You need to be able to withdraw your money at any time.
- You have no investment experience and prefer something automated and simple.
- You plan to invest less than €5,000 in crowdlending.
Choose Mintos if:
- You’re looking to maximize returns and are willing to accept greater complexity and risk.
- You already have experience with alternative investments.
- You are investing a sufficiently diversified capital (more than €5,000).
- You understand that liquidity is not guaranteed.
Can they be combined?
Yes. Many investors use Bondora for the most liquid segment of their alternative portfolio (as a higher-yielding emergency fund) and Mintos for longer-term capital where they seek maximum returns.
Under no circumstances should you invest more than 5–10% of your total assets in crowdlending. It is a high-risk asset class with no public guarantees. See the full crowdlending comparison tool →